Haiti Report, December 8, 2024
A compilation of news about Haiti from the past week.
Prolonged rainfall leads to landslide killing four in Cap-Haïtien
Due to the incessant rains that have been falling since the beginning of the week on Cap-Haïtien and its surroundings, a landslide caused the death of four people in Cité Yton, in the communal section of Bande du Nord, in Cap-Haïtien. According to the Casec coordinator of Bande du Nord, Maiono “Tompouce” Mompremier, a fence collapsed on a small house in the area, around midnight, Thursday, December 6, 2024, causing this tragedy. The four occupants of this house, a man and three women, lost their lives. They are Wilson Marcellus, 38 years old - Nadia Michel, 32 years old, Wilmise Marcellus, 13 years old and Wildia Marcellus, 7 years old. https://x.com/nouvelliste/status/1865063338683588951
Cap-Haïtien, the only city open to international flights at the moment, has been facing heavy rains for three days, which have caused the death of seven people. Several neighborhoods are flooded or blocked. The central government has taken no action to help the victims. Local authorities have declared a state of emergency, but they lack the resources. This city, the gateway to the country, is left to its own devices, while the authorities improvise. https://x.com/Radio_Metronome/status/1865156181800394777
The 2024 hurricane season officially ended on November 30, leaving Haiti relatively unscathed compared to some of its neighbors, such as Cuba. However, this does not mean that Haitians can rest easy. The damage caused by recent torrential rains in Cap-Haïtien serves as a stark reminder that environmental issues remain a looming threat over the heads of every Haitian.
On social media, images of the narrow streets of Cap-Haïtien turned into rivers and littered with debris are circulating widely. Calls for help echo through the media. It feels as if the commune of Cap-Haïtien is crying out for rescue. These scenes from Haiti’s second-largest city are a vivid reminder of its environmental vulnerability. Watersheds, ravines, and other vital areas that should be protected have been overrun by all sorts of constructions. Survival has taken precedence over environmental protection. Meanwhile, powerless local and municipal authorities, struggling even to clean the streets, can only observe the destruction.
Although the Cap-Haïtien municipality declared an environmental state of emergency after the floods, many suspect that little will come of it. One does not need to be an environmental studies expert to recognize that Cap-Haïtien’s situation calls for action from the central government. Strong measures and adequate resources are essential to address the city’s environmental challenges. https://lenouvelliste.com/en/article/251836/distress-calls-from-cap-haitien
Heavy rains leave at least three dead and others injured in Grand'Anse
The third death recorded on Tuesday is the latest in a series caused by heavy rains in the region over the past two weeks. The third death recorded this Tuesday is the latest in a series caused by heavy rains that have occurred in the region for two weeks. In Jérémie, two deaths were recorded, children between 5 and 7 years old, municipal authorities announced at a press conference. One was buried by a landslide at the entrance to the city and the other was carried away by raging waters during the night. The body was found at dawn, stuck in a sewer.
The latest case was recorded in Anse-d'Ainault on Tuesday. A 7-year-old child was killed in a landslide in Dejak, a locality in the said commune, Le Nouvelliste learned. While the General Directorate of Civil Protection (DGPC) officially closed the year's cyclone season on November 30, videos posted this Tuesday by Internet users from different municipalities showed that the rains also destroyed roads, caused flooding and around twenty injuries.
American Airlines not returning to Haiti in February; flights from Port-au-Prince remain suspended indefinitely
American Airlines is no longer resuming its daily service out of Miami into Port-au-Prince’s Toussaint Louverture International Airport as of early February. A spokesperson for the U.S.-based carrier told the Miami Herald that it will evaluate a possible resumption in late 2025 of the only daily service out of Miami International Airport into Haiti by a major U.S. airline. “American has made the difficult decision to suspend daily service between Miami (MIA) and Port-au-Prince, Haiti (PAP),” the spokesperson said. “We are proud of our more than 50-year-commitment to Haiti and we will continue to monitor the situation, assessing safety, security, and customer demand, in evaluating a return of service. We will proactively reach out to impacted customers to offer a full refund of their travel itinerary.”
American Airlines, along with JetBlue Airways and Spirit Airlines, all announced last month that they were suspending their daily flights into Haiti after each confirmed they had an aircraft hit by gang gunfire on Nov. 11 over the air space in Port-au-Prince. Spirit Airlines, which was approaching Toussaint Louverture International Airport with passengers when the bullets struck, also suspended its service between Fort Lauderdale and Cap-Haïtien in the north of the country. No passengers were injured, however, a flight attendant did receive minor injuries. The suspension, the airline said, was “pending further evaluation.” Neither Spirit nor JetBlue Airways has said if and when they will resume Haiti flights. JetBlue Airways operates flights both out of Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport into Port-au-Prince. “We will continue to monitor the situation and evaluate a return of service for late 2025,” the American Airlines spokesperson told the Herald. After the attack, the Federal Aviation Administration issued a 30-day ban prohibiting all U.S. licensed and U.S. carriers from traveling to Haiti. The ban is supposed to end this week, though it is unclear if it will be extended. https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/haiti/article296763559.html#storylink=cpy
The continuing closure of the Port-au-Prince airport leaves hundreds frustrated with no date set by the authorities for the resumption of flight operations. Haiti’s southern region has been cut off from its capital for over three weeks as the Toussaint Louverture International Airport remains closed. The temporary shutdown, caused by a gang attack on commercial flights for the second time this year, has forced airlines to halt operations, stranding passengers and exposing deep flaws in the nation’s transportation infrastructure.
Haiti’s air travel crisis is compounded by the blockade of all major national roads, notably National Road #1 and #2—the primary routes connecting Port-au-Prince to the northern and southern regions. Armed gangs not only control key roadways but also render coastal routes unsafe, leaving residents with few viable options. This paralysis reflects the broader governance and security issues that have hampered essential services nationwide. Thousands of people have been stranded in the four geographical departments of the far south, including South, Southeast, Grande-Anse and Nippes. Many travelers have their airline tickets in hand. Still, they are stuck in Les Cayes because Sunrise Airways, the Haiti-based carrier linking Port-au-Prince to the region, has not yet been authorized to resume service in the Haitian capital. They are fed up and ask the government authorities to take the necessary measures so that they can return home.
Island of Lagonav has received thousands of displaced people and food prices have doubled
“The island of La Gonâve is suffocating, isolated, and abandoned by the central government despite all the legal provisions related to decentralization,” declared Amos Toussaint, a resident of La Gonâve, during an interview on Magik 9, Thursday, December 6, 2024. He was addressing the situation of the island in the context of the ongoing insecurity. “During the week of October 21, thousands of people fleeing the insecurity in the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince sought refuge on La Gonâve. They arrived at the harbor both day and night. These displaced individuals have worsened the already precarious daily lives of the island’s residents, who are facing all kinds of challenges,” lamented Toussaint.
“Access to basic necessities is extremely difficult on the island. Due to gang-controlled tolls at the Jérémie wharf and in the Port-au-Prince bay, the cost of goods on the island is double what it is in the markets of Port-au-Prince,” revealed Toussaint. He further explained that the island’s primary source of income—fishing—has significantly diminished. “Fishing on the island remains rudimentary. We lack adequate equipment to fish in deeper waters. Moreover, because of the insecurity, we’ve lost access to certain markets, such as in Martissant, where our fishers used to sell their seafood, often risking their lives,” Toussaint explained. “We have port infrastructure, such as the port of La Gonâve, which could, even temporarily, facilitate the delivery of essential goods,” he suggested. https://lenouvelliste.com/en/article/251822/la-gonave-island-feels-the-pressure-of-port-au-princes-turmoil
Report of nearly 20 Kenyans attempting to resign
Nearly 20 of the roughly 400 Kenyan police officers serving in Haiti on a U.N.-backed anti-gang force have submitted letters of resignation from the mission over the past two months because of pay delays and poor conditions, three officers told Reuters. The officers have received no response to their letters and continue to serve on the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission, said the three officers, who requested anonymity because they were not allowed to speak to the media. Kenya's national police spokesperson did not respond to calls and messages seeking comment about the resignation letters, pay delays and working conditions.
National police chief Douglas Kanja addressed reports in Kenyan media of pay delays at a news conference on Wednesday, saying the officers had been paid "up to the end of October". The three officers disputed this, saying they were last paid in September. Kenya has deployed about 400 officers since June to lead the MSS, which is meant to comprise around 2,500 personnel from about 10 countries, but the force has been hobbled by funding and staffing shortfalls. Only a handful of officers from the other countries have arrived in Haiti, and a pledge in October by Kenyan President William Ruto to send another 600 officers the following month did not materialise.
One officer said he had not been prepared for what he encountered in Haiti and has been "tormented by scenes like dogs eating human flesh on the streets". The officers also said they did not have adequate ammunition to counter the gangs, who have stepped up attacks on Kenyan police positions. The mission has faced morale issues nearly from the start.
https://www.reuters.com/world/kenyan-police-haiti-tender-resignations-over-pay-delays-2024-12-06/
Haiti’s multinational police mission denies reports of unpaid wages
A United Nations-backed security mission to Haiti, led by Kenyan forces, has denied reports that some of its officers have gone months without pay. In a statement on Friday, the Multinational Security Support Mission to Haiti (MSS) said that it “categorically refutes” reports that officers have not had their wages paid for three months. “All MSS personnel have received their salaries, including monthly allowances, and no MSS officer has tendered their resignation as alleged,” the statement reads. “MSS officers remain highly motivated and fully committed to supporting the Haitian National Police [HNP] in conducting decisive operations aimed at dismantling gang networks and restoring stability.” https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/12/6/haitis-multinational-police-mission-denies-reports-of-unpaid-wages#ixzz8tpx60qme
Kenyan mission under assault and fighting back against gangs
An armored vehicle carrying Kenyan police rumbles through Haiti’s capital with a shattered window that a high-caliber bullet failed to penetrate, a permanent sign of violence the officers face almost daily in Port-au-Prince. The Kenyans, who were deployed to Haiti earlier this year to help quell gang violence, have faced relentless attacks. On December 5, gunfire erupted in Port-au-Prince as Kenyan officers repelled heavily armed gangs that run 85% of the city and are fighting to seize full control. The Kenyans, joined by Haitian officers, crouched behind sandbags and a concrete wall at the former offices of the National Police that authorities were forced to abandon in recent years by encroaching gangs. Bullets whizzed by as police kept their heads down low and returned fire. “The days are numbered for the gangs,” Godfrey Otunge, commander of the United Nations-backed mission led by Kenya, told The Associated Press. “Either you surrender … or we are coming for you.”
Police face a daunting task. More than 4,500 people have been reported killed in Haiti so far this year, and another 2,060 injured, according to the U.N. On patrol in their heavily armored vehicle, one of its windows previously damaged by a bullet strike, police returned fire with smoke rising from their automatic weapons. The vehicle lumbered past charred cars, makeshift blockades and the body of a person burned to death, the skull poking through a burned tire. Last week alone, some 42,000 people were left homeless, half of them children, according to UNICEF, the U.N. children’s agency. https://apnews.com/article/haiti-gang-violence-kenya-police-united-nations-767d0ca23708d17631b41626a7168429?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=share
Police and MSS reclaim some areas while others remain under gang control
For the first time since the beginning of Haiti's "lost territories" era on June 1, 2021, the Haitian National Police (PNH), with support from the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSSM), managed to reclaim two facilities in the same week that had previously been abandoned under gang pressure. The Liancourt police station, which was abandoned on January 25, 2023, after six officers were killed by armed groups in the area, reopened on November 25, 2024. Three days later, on November 28, 2024, an old office of the PNH’s Inspector General, located in the Bas-Delmas area, was reoccupied. This facility had initially been inaugurated on November 30, 2020. In a statement, the MSSM announced: "Four years later, on Thursday, November 28, 2024, the MSSM established its third Forward Operating Base (FOB) at this site, following the bases set up at the Police Academy and Pont-Sondé."
Despite these successes, maintaining control of these reclaimed positions remains uncertain. In both Liancourt and Bas-Delmas, the situation is complex, and armed groups remain active nearby. In Liancourt, just one day after the police station reopened, a neighboring village suffered an attack, resulting in multiple fatalities. In Bas-Delmas, near the reclaimed Inspector General's office, violence persists, with ongoing attacks in areas like Ruelle Nazon, Christ-Roi, and the surrounding neighborhoods. While the police continue to launch offensives, the armed groups show little retreat. The Port-au-Prince metropolitan region remains on edge, grappling with an unprecedented level of chaos. Observers are left to wonder: Is this the beginning of the end, or merely the end of an era?
https://lenouvelliste.com/en/article/251725/the-police-are-making-progress-but
No effective intervention has been carried out to date (December 2, 2024) by law enforcement to regain control of the Solino and Nazon neighborhoods (downtown Port-au-Prince), which have been held hostage for several weeks by the criminal coalition of armed gangs Viv Ansanm , observes the online agency AlterPresse. In Nazon, several people continue to be killed or injured by the bandits of Viv Ansanm , who are spreading terror there, as well as by stray bullets.
Faced with this climate of terror, established by these armed gangs, particularly in Solino and Nazon, in recent weeks, the agents of the Haitian National Police (PNH) are content to stay aboard their armored tanks and sometimes shoot non-stop, to dissuade the armed bandits, instead of planning a serious and effective operation on the ground to dismantle them, castigate local residents.
Despite their presence on the ground, the Haitian National Police and Kenyan forces have done little to prevent Solino from being among the list of lost territories. Many people now avoid going through Nazon and Solino, areas that have become deserted and very risky. For two weeks, public transport vehicles have no longer been passing through the Nazon and Avenue Poupelard districts, which have been transformed into dens of bandits.
Founded since 2000, the League of Pastors of the commune of Delmas (Lipacod) expressed, in a note, its indignation at the bloody attack perpetrated by gangs against the Union Baptist Church of Nazon, during which five (5) of its members tragically lost their lives, on Wednesday, November 20, 2024, inside the church and very close to the assembly of the faithful. https://www.alterpresse.org/spip.php?article31182
The Haitian National Police (PNH) announced that it has increased its presence in Tabarre as of Monday, December 2, 2024. This measure comes in response to a surge in gang attacks targeting neighborhoods in the area, with violence persisting for approximately three weeks. "Law enforcement has intensified patrols in Tabarre 27, Clercine, Sainte Philomène, and other locations," stated a report shared on the police's social media platforms. "The police will continue to patrol various areas in Croix-des-Bouquets, including Duval and Marassa. Operations aimed at dismantling criminal networks will also persist. Additionally, the police have implemented measures to ensure the safety of lives and property across the entire territory," the video concludes. https://lenouvelliste.com/en/article/251781/pnh-announces-boosted-security-measures-in-tabarre
Tension reigns as activities resume in capital after days of gun battles
The metropolitan region experienced a tense day on Monday, December 2, 2024. The resumption of activities in several areas of the capital and its surroundings was disrupted by heavy gunfire resulting from clashes between law enforcement and armed gangs. Gunshots were reported in areas such as Lalue, Nazon, Carrefour de l’Aéroport, Drouillard, Tabarre 27, Route de Frères, and others.
At Nazon and Carrefour de l’Aéroport, reports indicate that members of the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) and the Haitian National Police (PNH) were engaged in confrontations with gang members. Nazon has recently fallen under the control of criminal groups who have taken to the rooftops of abandoned houses in the area to challenge law enforcement, according to a source. This contact told Le Nouvelliste that Nazon has become extremely dangerous, with a high risk of attack. "From Carrefour Samida to Carrefour de l’Aéroport, it has become a lawless zone," the source stated.
The PNH confirmed the clashes between its officers and gang members in Nazon and Carrefour de l’Aéroport on Monday. “This is our daily reality,” remarked a source within the police force. Elsewhere, tensions were also reported in Drouillard and Tabarre 27 during the day. In the afternoon, witnesses reported armed attacks by the gang "Kraze Baryè," led by Vitelhomme Innocent, targeting several neighborhoods along Route de Frères. Police officers were deployed to repel the assailants, particularly in the "Nan Tunnel" area. Later in the evening, heavy gunfire was reported in Puits Blain.
In addition to the shootings, activities in Port-au-Prince were further disrupted by massive traffic jams throughout the city. Major congestion was observed all day in areas such as Turgeau, Lalue, Bourdon, Canapé-Vert, and several main arteries in Pétion-Ville. The disturbances and blockades in Nazon, Delmas 30, and Carrefour de l’Aéroport were the primary causes of these traffic snarls. Long queues at gas stations also contributed to the road congestion on Monday.
https://lenouvelliste.com/en/article/251755/heavy-gunfire-panic-and-massive-traffic-jams
New change in the High Command of the PNH
Saturday, November 30, 2024, as part of the changes taking place at the level of the command of the National Police of Haiti (PNH), on the orders of Normil Rameau, Acting Commander of the PNH, his Chief of Staff, Inspector General Smith Péyo, proceeded to install Inspector General Alain Auguste as the new Central Director of the Administrative Police (DCPA). Alain Auguste replaces Inspector General Arol Enol Alphonse in this position for barely 4 months. https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-42902-icihaiti-pnh-change-of-command-at-the-head-of-the-dcpa.html
Alain Auguste has more than 20 years of experience within the police institution. He has been, among other things, Police Commissioner of Port-au-Prince, Departmental Director of the West of the PNH, head of the Unit of Security of the Prime Minister's Office and Logistics Director of the PNH
https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-43749-haiti-flash-new-change-in-the-high-command-of-the-pnh.html
Pont Sondé Massacre Victims Hold Sit-In, Calling for the Gran Grif Gang’s Dismantling in Savien
Over a thousand residents of Pont Sondé, a locality in the fifth section of Saint-Marc, gathered on Tuesday, December 3, 2024, in front of the Pat Chwal substation to demand the dismantling of the "Grand Grif" gang base in Savien. The mobilization was organized by the Commission for Dialogue, Reconciliation, and Awareness to Save Artibonite and the Federation of Peasant Organizations and Agricultural Entrepreneurs of the Artibonite Valley. The agitated crowd, visibly frustrated, chanted slogans such as, “After two months, no more dialogue,” “Police, take action,” “Dismantle the Savien base,” and “We’ve had enough.” Speaking on behalf of the organizing groups, Bertide Horace reminded those present: “It has been exactly two months since our brothers and sisters were massacred by the Savien terrorists. That is why the peasants are here to demand that law enforcement penetrate the gangs’ stronghold.”
She emphasized the importance of solidarity between the population and the police: “Just as the people have decided to support the police in Port-au-Prince and the Central Plateau, we are ready to support the police here in Artibonite,” said the journalist and social activist, underscoring her belief that “a police-community partnership yields great results.”
Commander Philippe Chimoatiya, head of the Kenyan troops stationed in Artibonite, addressed the residents of Pont Sondé, assuring them: “Do not worry; we will soon launch an attack on Savien.” He added, “We left our country to come here because we care about Haiti.” Speaking with determination, Commander Philippe promised to “completely end the reign of the Savien gang,” while asking the people to grant the security forces “a little more time.” Standing beside Commander Philippe, Saint-Marc Police Commissioner Max Altis Vital echoed his remarks, stressing the need to give the specialized units of the Haitian National Police (PNH) and the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) the time required to provide lasting solutions to the problem of gang violence.
Provisional Electoral Council: Executive finalizes list with two new female figures
The President of the Transitional Presidential Council, Leslie Voltaire, chaired a Council of Ministers at the Villa d'Accueil on December 4, 2024. During this session, the Executive finalized the composition of the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) with two women. Indeed, three months after the publication of the initial list of the CEP, the Executive has finally completed the structure with two women. Magalie Georges will represent the human rights sector, while Yves Marie Edouard will sit for the women's sector.
Guerline Jozef named on of BBC’s 100 Women in 2024
Two Caribbean women have been recognized among the BBC's 100 Women list for 2024.
Idania del Río from Cuba and Guerline M Jozef from Haiti represent the region's dynamic female leadership, each making significant impacts in their respective fields of fashion entrepreneurship and immigration rights. Haitian activist Guerline M Jozef has emerged as a powerful voice in immigrant rights, founding the women-led Haitian Bridge Alliance. Her organization focuses on advocating for people of African descent, challenging systemic injustices through strategic legal and political action. This year, her organization notably filed criminal charges against former President Donald Trump for harmful rhetoric about Haitian immigrants. The BBC's selection process considered nominees who demonstrated resilience, influenced important stories, and made meaningful contributions to their societies. https://caribbean.loopnews.com/content/two-caribbean-women-named-bbcs-100-women-2024
Pressure for removal of Presidential Council members implicated in corruption scandal
Last week, the Transitional Presidential Council (CPT) faced significant pressure from both members of the international community and Haitian stakeholders. All are demanding that the CPT remove the three members implicated in the BNC corruption scandal or compel them to resign.
Several presidential advisors confirmed to Le Nouvelliste that these pressures effectively paralyzed the CPT's activities earlier in the week. "However, we concluded that the Council cannot remove any of its members," they stated, citing the lack of a legal framework.
Louis Gérald Gilles, Emmanuel Vertilaire, and Smith Augustin remain firmly in their positions within the Presidential Council. The CPT members are standing united and in solidarity. CPT President Leslie Voltaire and the other members have, for now, resisted calls to remove their colleagues implicated in the BNC corruption scandal, which is currently under investigation by the judiciary. While some legal experts assert that Louis Gérald Gilles, Emmanuel Vertilaire, and Smith Augustin are now defendants in the BNC corruption case, the advisors dispute this characterization. They believe they should never have responded to the invitations from the Anti-Corruption Unit (ULCC) during its investigation of the BNC scandal. https://lenouvelliste.com/en/article/251729/no-modifications-in-the-transitional-presidential-council
Presidential advisors Louis Gérald Gilles, Emmanuel Vertilaire, and Smith Augustin have been summoned by investigative judge Benjamin Felismé, who is probing the corruption case involving the National Credit Bank (BNC). According to multiple judicial sources, the judge has issued subpoenas for each advisor on different dates in December. One of the advisors’ lawyers confirmed to Le Nouvelliste that their firm has indeed received a summons.
"I haven’t yet seen the subpoena, but our firm has received the investigative judge’s summons for December 11," the lawyer for one of the advisors implicated in the alleged BNC corruption scandal told Le Nouvelliste. Two judicial sources informed Le Nouvelliste that in addition to the three advisors, the judge has also summoned the former chairman of the BNC board, Raoul Pierre-Louis. Pierre-Louis previously accused Louis Gérald Gilles, Emmanuel Vertilaire, and Smith Augustin of demanding 100 million gourdes from him to retain his position at the helm of the National Credit Bank. According to a member of the Transitional Presidential Council (CPT), Judge Benjamin Felismé had already invited Louis Gérald Gilles to his office on November 19. The advisor’s lawyers reportedly wrote to the judge, arguing that he lacks the authority to summon someone holding the status of a "President of the Republic," the source said.
Life in a Displacement Camp at the OPC
At the Office for Citizen Protection (OPC) in Bourdon, hundreds of families are not living but merely surviving. Having fled neighborhoods like Solino, Nazon, or Delmas 30, they have turned the premises of this institution into a sprawling camp for displaced persons overnight. This camp, marked by a lack of space, comfort, and above all, tranquility, is now home to Renée, a 21-year-old young woman who lost both her feet during the January 12, 2010, earthquake. A former resident of Solino, Renée has demonstrated extraordinary courage, navigating life without feet to save herself and pursue her dreams.
Life at the OPC is far from easy for Renée and the hundreds of others living there. "We sleep in the most uncomfortable conditions, with no assistance," she laments, describing sleepless nights when it rains. Beyond the rain, safety is a constant concern. "On November 19, we heard gunshots, and I was terrified. After fleeing Solino, will I have to flee again?" she wonders.
Access to water is another significant challenge. While water deliveries are regular, many in the camp accuse the committee managing the resources of favoritism, prioritizing their relatives over others. The camp at the OPC houses many people with mobility challenges like Renée, yet they receive no specialized assistance. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), between November 11 and 20, 2024, 40,965 people were displaced due to armed violence. https://lenouvelliste.com/en/article/251715/life-in-a-displacement-camp-at-the-opc
Human Rights Watch Report on escalating sexual violence
While the world has become sadly familiar with the rampant murders, kidnappings and hijackings that gangs have inflicted on Haiti in recent years, rights groups warn another form of terror is escalating there: sexual violence. The international nonprofit Human Rights Watch (HRW) released a report on what it calls the “horrific sexual abuse” that Haiti’s women and girls are suffering at the hands of the powerful criminal gangs that control much of the country today.
It says some 4,000 women and girls have reported being raped by gang members just this year. And those victims, it adds, have little if any police protection or medical and social services to turn to — especially now that the gang violence has all but overwhelmed police forces there and forced international aid workers and health volunteers to leave the country. An especially disturbing point in the report is that, according to the U.N., sexual violence cases involving minors has increased 1,000% this year. HRW calls on the international community to commit more funding to the crisis. But it acknowledges there is too little security or service infrastructure there to use it. https://www.wlrn.org/americas/2024-11-29/haitis-gangs-rape-sexual-violence
Children bearing brunt of crisis according to UN ECOSOC
As Haiti grapples with escalating violence and systemic collapse, its children are bearing the brunt of a multipronged crisis that threatens their lives, safety, and future. That was the stark message heard during a special session on Monday convened by the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), where UN officials and humanitarian leaders highlighted the dire conditions in Haiti and called for immediate action to support its youngest citizens.
With 5.4 million people – half the population – facing acute food insecurity, and 700,000 displaced, urgent international intervention is needed to address a crisis compounded by armed groups violence, economic instability, and insufficient humanitarian funding. UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher – who took up his post two weeks ago – emphasised the devastating impact of the crisis on children: "The children of Haiti are displaced. They are malnourished. They live in fear, their neighbourhoods controlled by armed groups.”
The Executive Director of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Catherine Russell further elaborated on the situation: “We estimate that children account for 30 to 54 per cent of armed group members while the total number of children recruited by armed groups has jumped by 70 per cent over the past year."
She also highlighted the collapse of essential services, with 1.5 million youngsters losing access to education and healthcare facilities shutting down due to violence and insecurity. Despite the challenges, UN agencies and partners continue to deliver aid.
Facing a surge in displacement and food insecurity, the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) has announced an expanded response, targeting nearly two million people with emergency relief. The WFP’s Country Director, Wanja Kaaria, affirmed the agency’s commitment, stating: “We have been delivering record amounts of food assistance to Haitians in Port-au-Prince and across the country these past few months and will do even more in the coming weeks.” WFP also supports local economies by sourcing 70 per cent of school meal ingredients from Haitian farmers, fostering long-term resilience and development. Yet, the scale of the response is dwarfed by the growing needs.
Speakers at the ECOSOC session stressed the need for immediate international action to close funding gaps, protect children from exploitation, and rebuild essential services. UN Special Representative Maria Isabel Salvador, who also heads the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH), urged the global community to address root causes of the crisis: “The challenges Haiti faces are immense, but one truth is undeniable: no progress can be made without addressing the pervasive insecurity caused by armed gangs.”
UNICEF and other humanitarian leaders called on the UN Security Council-backed Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission and Haitian authorities to prioritise child protection during operations, ensuring safe reintegration for children recruited by armed groups. https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/12/1157686
Haiti’s children are hungry, many of them malnourished and on the verge of staving. Fleeing burnt out homes, they account for 365,000 of the more than 700,000 Haitians who are now internally displaced, forced into overcrowded makeshift camps with no access to drinking water or latrines. And that’s not the worst of the suffering for Haiti’s children, 1.5 million of whom have lost their access to education because of rampant poverty and gang violence. In response, many are joining the gangs spreading violence and famine, their recruitment has jumped 70% over the past year while they now make up for 30 to 54% of gang membership, the U.N.’s leading child welfare agency, UNICEF, has reported. Meanwhile, their cases of reported incidents of sexual violence has seen a staggering 1,000% increase — just this year.
“Haiti is one of the worst places on the planet to be a child,” said Catherine Russell, executive director of UNICEF. “Children and families continue to experience unprecedented levels of lawlessness and brutality at the hands of the armed groups.” https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/haiti/article296451639.html#storylink=cpy
Haiti’s silent exodus: Driven into the the sea in search of hope
Extreme violence and poverty continue to drive the departure of flimsy boats trying to reach US shores. Added to this are deportations from the Dominican Republic and the likely end of US humanitarian programs when Trump takes office. The Haitian migrant boat phenomenon represents one of the most devastating immigration crises in Latin America and the Caribbean, with thousands of people risking their lives in flimsy vessels to escape violence, poverty and hopelessness in Haiti. However, like the country’s own crisis, it often goes unnoticed amid other global conflicts. An emblematic case of this silent tragedy is the disappearance of the rapper Wens Jonathan Désir, better known as MechansT, who, after paying $8,000 to try to reach the United States, stopped communicating with his family last July and has not been heard from since, an event that symbolizes the dangers faced by Haitians on illegal maritime routes. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), at least 470 migrants died or went missing in the Caribbean in 2023, many of them Haitians. The boats, overloaded and in poor condition, cannot withstand the harsh weather conditions at sea. In July 2024, a boat carrying Haitian migrants caught fire off Cap-Haïtien, leaving 40 dead and several seriously injured. According to Grégoire Goodstein of the IOM, extreme violence and the lack of legal alternatives have led more Haitians to resort to desperate measures. The high costs of renewing passports and obtaining visas, coupled with the lack of legal alternatives for migrating, have led many Haitians to turn to human smuggling networks that promise to take them to the United States for exorbitant sums. According to statements by relatives, traffickers charge between $3,000 and $5,000 per person per trip, in a country where the minimum wage is just over $116 per month. Meanwhile, deportations rose 46% in March alone, reaching more than 13,000 Haitians that month, the last month for which IOM had data before they had to leave the country.
Commission of inquiry on misappropriation of public works equipment in the SE
The Ministry of Public Works, Transport and Communications (MTPTC) announces the establishment of a commission of inquiry into the misuse of public works equipment, allocated to public infrastructure projects in the South-East department (Ddse), in a note dated December 4, 2024, which was seen by the online agency AlterPresse. This commission, which has 72 hours (until December 7, 2024) to submit its detailed report, will have to examine the facts and identify those responsible for such acts, underlines the MTPCT. The stolen materials were allegedly used for personal purposes, to the detriment of the general interest, he condemns.
Expressing awareness of the serious repercussions of such practices on the safety and quality of public infrastructure, as well as on the integrity of the institution's operations, the MTPTC affirms that it reiterates its commitment to ethics and transparency, pillars of its public action. The Ministry of Public Works, Transport and Communications renews its commitment to ensuring that state equipment is used properly. On November 15, 2023, the Anti-Corruption Unit (Ulcc) pinned down, in around ten investigation reports, several former public officials including former senators Joseph Lambert, Wanique Pierre, Richard Lénine Hervé Fourcand and Garcia Delva suspected of embezzlement of public assets. The ULCC then recommended the establishment of a commission at the level of the National Equipment Council (CNE), via the Mtptc, with a view to an inventory of evaluation and recovery of heavy machinery and other equipment of the National Equipment Council, stored in different sites, which are not those of the institution, but under the control of several former parliamentarians. https://www.alterpresse.org/spip.php?article31197
$15M road project reshapes Haiti’s northwest, connecting three key towns
After three years of planning and resolving land expropriation issues, the long-awaited construction of a 17-mile road linking Port-de-Paix to Anse-à-Foleur in the Northwest Department officially began on Nov. 20 to the delight of many. Financed entirely with a donation by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the project will cost $15 million and provide immediate employment to more than fifty people in the region, officials said. The Ministry of Public Works, Transport and Communication (MTPTC) in the Northwest department executes the project, while Italian firm Technic-Plan supervises the works. The 17-mile road construction is expected to be completed in seven months.
This project, connecting three out of 10 northwestern communes—Port-de-Paix, Saint-Louis du Nord and Anse-à-Foleur—represents a significant milestone in addressing the department’s longstanding infrastructure challenges. With full funding from the IDB, the road aims to boost economic activity, ease travel, and improve living conditions for thousands of residents. However, the construction takes place amid ongoing political instability and security threats from armed gangs, underlining the critical need for collaborative efforts to ensure its completion and long-term benefits for the region. https://haitiantimes.com/2024/12/06/15m-road-project-reshapes-haitis-northwest-connecting-three-key-towns/